Global M&A momentum builds in 2026 as megadeals surge, but acquirers confront a new AI "winner's paradox"--Bain & Company M&A Midyear Report
PR Newswire
NEW YORK and LONDON, June 29, 2026
As bold deals reshape industries for a fast-changing world, leading companies must now pair complex integrations with the AI transformation that disruption demandsGlobal M&A rose 41% year-over-year to $2.4 trillion in the first five months of 2026, putting the market on track for its second-highest year ever, on the heels of the near-record rebound of 2025At the current pace, global dealmaking is set to top $5.3 trillion in 2026, which is just below the 2020 record of $5.6 trillionStrategic transformations and a surge in megadeals are driving the M&A resurgence. Deals worth more than $10 billion grew 52% in number and 53% in value year-over-yearAcquirers face a new "winner's paradox": how to deliver an ambitious M&A agenda as well as an AI transformation at the same time, as AI's impact on dealmaking this year extends well beyond the technology sectorNEW YORK and LONDON, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The great rebound in global mergers and acquisitions that began last year is proving no flash in the pan. After M&A rose 40% to $4.9 trillion in 2025 – the second-highest annual total on record – global deal value continued to climb in the first five months of 2026, surging 41% year-over-year to $2.4 trillion in the period, and putting the market on track for its second-highest year ever, Bain & Company reports today in its 2026 M&A Midyear Report.
